When Love Became a Regular Customer
Chapter 4
“Okay,” I started, swallowing the remains of my chocolate milk, “favorite band of all time?”
He didn’t even have to think about it, “Queen, for sure.” He stated as if there wasn’t any alternative.
My mouth hung open slightly, “No way!” He raised an eyebrow, “I love Queen!”
“Really?” He smiled, “I guess we aren’t as different as I thought.” He took his last bite of chocolate chip pancakes and chewed slowly, a thinking look on his face.
I scooted over to sit beside him, nudging him gently with my elbow. “What’s on your mind, Rob?” I asked.
He bit his bottom lip and smiled, “Well… you, actually.” He said, blushing from embarrassment.
I grinned, “That’s a coincidence.” I stated.
He looked over at me, “What, you were thinking about you, too?” He asked with a teasing smirk on his face.
I hit his arm gently, “No.” I smiled, fidgeting and twisting my fingers around, “I was thinking about this one guy who likes to play the drums. You might know him. He looks a lot like you.” I stuck out my tongue and he smiled.
“Maybe you should ask that guy out. He sounds like a keeper.” He smirked.
“He sounds like he’s full of himself.” I accused lightheartedly.
“Nah,” He said, “just confident.” Rob sat back and made an ‘I own this town’ kind of face.
“Confidence is a hard thing to come by, my friend.” I said honestly, sighing.
“That’s why I don’t have much of it.” He pouted.
“Well, you should. Cause you’re a really great guy.” I told him softly.
He looked up at me, wide-eyed, “You think so?”
I nodded, wearing a small smile, “I do.”
Over the next hour or so, I listened to Rob go on and on about how much he loved each and every one of his dogs. He had pictures in his wallet, all crumpled near the edges, of them as puppies. The way his face lit up when he saw the pictures made me smile. He noticed me staring at him, turning his face from the old photos to look at me.
“What?” He asked, smiling awkwardly with a light blush on his cheeks.
“Nothing.” I answered, contentedly sighing. “I’m just really glad you’re here.”
He beamed, “Well, I’m glad to be here.” Rob put away his wallet and leaned back on his elbows. “Ugh, I’m so full.” He said, patting his stomach. I nodded in agreement. He looked so cute, even for eight in the morning. He had on grey sweatpants that sat loosely on him, a white v-neck that appeared worn in and cozy, and a Yankees flat-brim hat over his bed head.
I grinned at his appearance and stood up, holding my arms out to help him up with me. He moaned and groaned on his way up, and almost fell over from losing his balance. He hung on to my arms to steady himself.
“Whoa, you alright?” I asked, laughing softly.
“Yeah,” He chuckled, “I guess I just needed to take it slow.”
I nodded, looking at my feet with a quiet grin on my face. I lifted my head to look at him, realizing how insanely close we actually were. Still holding each other’s arms, we just stood there silently for a long minute.
He leaned in, much to my surprise, and I couldn’t breathe. No joke. I literally felt my breathing stop. I wasn’t ready for this… I had morning breath, for crying out loud!
I felt him only an inch from me. I whispered, with all the voice I could muster, “You sure you’re okay?”
He nodded, I could feel the ends of his hair brush my cheek. It sent tingles down my spine. Who knew little-old-adorable Rob Michelsen could have this much effect on me.
“Like I said,” His voice was low and deep in the back of his throat, “I just need to take it slow.” Then, he moved his face slightly to the side and kissed my cheek.
After he pulled away, I felt a knot in my chest go away. A huge sigh of relief exploded out of me silently. But, I couldn’t help but smiling.
“I’ll see you later, Riley.” He grabbed his stuff and stood in the open doorway.
“Yeah,” I squeaked. I cleared my throat, trying to make my voice sound regular, “Later.” I managed. He smiled, waved, and closed the door on his way out.
Breathless, I slumped into one of our big black couches. I’m sure my expression was dazed and entranced, but who cares?
“Um, that was better than last night’s One Tree Hill!” I jumped, hearing Haley’s voice. She was beaming, obviously having just seen what went down moments ago.
I stood up, looked at her and just grinned. Next thing you know, we’re both jumping and squealing like we did back in high school. Who knew something so simple could leave me so confused?
He didn’t even have to think about it, “Queen, for sure.” He stated as if there wasn’t any alternative.
My mouth hung open slightly, “No way!” He raised an eyebrow, “I love Queen!”
“Really?” He smiled, “I guess we aren’t as different as I thought.” He took his last bite of chocolate chip pancakes and chewed slowly, a thinking look on his face.
I scooted over to sit beside him, nudging him gently with my elbow. “What’s on your mind, Rob?” I asked.
He bit his bottom lip and smiled, “Well… you, actually.” He said, blushing from embarrassment.
I grinned, “That’s a coincidence.” I stated.
He looked over at me, “What, you were thinking about you, too?” He asked with a teasing smirk on his face.
I hit his arm gently, “No.” I smiled, fidgeting and twisting my fingers around, “I was thinking about this one guy who likes to play the drums. You might know him. He looks a lot like you.” I stuck out my tongue and he smiled.
“Maybe you should ask that guy out. He sounds like a keeper.” He smirked.
“He sounds like he’s full of himself.” I accused lightheartedly.
“Nah,” He said, “just confident.” Rob sat back and made an ‘I own this town’ kind of face.
“Confidence is a hard thing to come by, my friend.” I said honestly, sighing.
“That’s why I don’t have much of it.” He pouted.
“Well, you should. Cause you’re a really great guy.” I told him softly.
He looked up at me, wide-eyed, “You think so?”
I nodded, wearing a small smile, “I do.”
Over the next hour or so, I listened to Rob go on and on about how much he loved each and every one of his dogs. He had pictures in his wallet, all crumpled near the edges, of them as puppies. The way his face lit up when he saw the pictures made me smile. He noticed me staring at him, turning his face from the old photos to look at me.
“What?” He asked, smiling awkwardly with a light blush on his cheeks.
“Nothing.” I answered, contentedly sighing. “I’m just really glad you’re here.”
He beamed, “Well, I’m glad to be here.” Rob put away his wallet and leaned back on his elbows. “Ugh, I’m so full.” He said, patting his stomach. I nodded in agreement. He looked so cute, even for eight in the morning. He had on grey sweatpants that sat loosely on him, a white v-neck that appeared worn in and cozy, and a Yankees flat-brim hat over his bed head.
I grinned at his appearance and stood up, holding my arms out to help him up with me. He moaned and groaned on his way up, and almost fell over from losing his balance. He hung on to my arms to steady himself.
“Whoa, you alright?” I asked, laughing softly.
“Yeah,” He chuckled, “I guess I just needed to take it slow.”
I nodded, looking at my feet with a quiet grin on my face. I lifted my head to look at him, realizing how insanely close we actually were. Still holding each other’s arms, we just stood there silently for a long minute.
He leaned in, much to my surprise, and I couldn’t breathe. No joke. I literally felt my breathing stop. I wasn’t ready for this… I had morning breath, for crying out loud!
I felt him only an inch from me. I whispered, with all the voice I could muster, “You sure you’re okay?”
He nodded, I could feel the ends of his hair brush my cheek. It sent tingles down my spine. Who knew little-old-adorable Rob Michelsen could have this much effect on me.
“Like I said,” His voice was low and deep in the back of his throat, “I just need to take it slow.” Then, he moved his face slightly to the side and kissed my cheek.
After he pulled away, I felt a knot in my chest go away. A huge sigh of relief exploded out of me silently. But, I couldn’t help but smiling.
“I’ll see you later, Riley.” He grabbed his stuff and stood in the open doorway.
“Yeah,” I squeaked. I cleared my throat, trying to make my voice sound regular, “Later.” I managed. He smiled, waved, and closed the door on his way out.
Breathless, I slumped into one of our big black couches. I’m sure my expression was dazed and entranced, but who cares?
“Um, that was better than last night’s One Tree Hill!” I jumped, hearing Haley’s voice. She was beaming, obviously having just seen what went down moments ago.
I stood up, looked at her and just grinned. Next thing you know, we’re both jumping and squealing like we did back in high school. Who knew something so simple could leave me so confused?